Our Child
by slayer of destiny
Summary: After an attack on a Hydra compound, the Avengers find the Supersoldier program has been changed up. by mixing Bucky's supersoldier DNA and Tony's Extremis fuelled DNA to stabilise the subjects. Out of a lot of experiments, one child has survived. Now Tony and Bucky must pull together to be dads to this little boy. Slash.
1. Chapter 1

Tony stared down at the small body lying on the crisp white sheets, dirty little face peaceful in unconsciousness, little dirty hands held tightly onto the sheets. Pale skin that looked like it should be a slightly darker colour, a too small body, a nose and chin that were familiar, cheekbones and hair color that he could recognise.

Bruce thought the child was around 3-4, he was currently scanning through the medical records on the child with FRIDAY, Vision, and Wanda to find out everything that he could, but there was a hell of a lot of information on the child. He was so unusual, so special that practically every breath had been monitored, every second of his life. It was a lot of work, but it was important that they knew.

He had been looked after and abused, hurt and coddled. He hadn't had a life.

And the poor kid wasn't going to fare much better, not considering the information that had jumped out at them straight away when they had scanned over the information on the child that they had found in the lab with him.

When Hydra had tried to destroy the...test subject rather than let him fall into their hands. They had barely made it. If it hadn't been for one half of his DNA he wouldn't have made it.

Tony closed his eyes and took a deep breath, fighting down the anger he felt, fighting down the desire to out and destroy every single computer in the world to try and find and destroy Zola.

The little boy on the table had no idea how complicated his life was about to become. And Tony couldn't help but feel that he would have been better with someone else, any of the other Avengers than the two he was about to be saddled with.

'Test subject created from the DNA of Iron Man aka Tony Stark and The Winter Soldier' They hadn't even named Bucky, just 'The Winter Soldier'. A quick read through and it quickly became apparent that the child was made from stolen DNA of Tony and Bucky, and Hydra had managed to make a child out of the two of them purely, this child was THEIR child biologically.

Why? They had been trying since bucky to replicate the super soldier serum Zola had created that had worked on him, but they couldn't and they didn't know why every test for decades failed. And they had gotten frustrated. Then Tony had managed to control the Extremis in his blood and it had been providing different strengths and abilities, and Zola had thought that he could use it to stabilize the serum. Trying to inject soldiers with it had failed.

So they had taken the next step and just tried to grow supersoldiers rather than change them. It was a little bit of a ten-year plan Tony thought, but then again that was before Hyrda had been forced to reveal itself when they had started the project they probably thought they had all the time in world hiding out in the open for the project to….mature.

Tony technically had had 62 children, boys, and girls, according to the records. The small child in front of him was the only one that had survived. He was unique. He was his.

The poor kid had one dad who had no idea how to be a parent except to be the opposite of his own parents, who had more emotional traumas than he could count on 20 hands, he hadn't wanted children because he was terrified to be his dad, he had no idea what the changes the Extremis had done to him, he was still learning, he was still mourning his third oldest child JARVIS, and...well he was Tony Stark.

His other dad, well Bucky's memories were coming back, and they had managed with the help of Wakanda, T'Challa and his kid sister to get rid of the trigger words, but...Bucky was traumatised and hurting and trying to fit everything together in his head. He had years of memories that weren't actually his, that he couldn't remember living, Bucky Barnes' last memory was falling off a train. On good days Steve could get him down onto the common floor for an hour. On bad days he wouldn't leave his and Steve's room.

He was a nice guy, he had a sense of humour still in there somewhere, and he had started teasing Steve. He had started exploring the new world. Tony had come up from his workshop late one night to find Bucky sitting at the counter with the coffee machine as FRIDAY explained to him how it worked. Of course, he had frozen the minute he realised Tony was there.

It was a problem. Tony had explained to him that he didn't blame him for his parents deaths more times than he could count, he had explained to Bucky that it wasn't him, it was Hydra, he had said it so many time, he had even joked one time that Hydra had done him a favour but that hadn't gone down well - Steve. Bucky seemed sure that Tony was going to change his mind one day, and Tony didn't know what he could do.

Maintenance on the arm was better for them, they were slowly getting used to each other and able to interact when they both had something to focus on, and Bucky had no choice but to focus considering Tony stipulated that Bucky learn what he was doing with the arm in case Tony wasn't able to help him for any reason, and that he had a say in everything that happened to the arm, every wire change, every upgrade, went through Bucky first.

But now apparently they had a child between them. A child with super intelligence, super strength, Extremis in his system. And no one else in the world. Shield had wanted to take him, Tony had taken him before they could and threatened them with destruction if they even tried.

He knew Steve didn't approve, he knew that he thought Tony wouldn't be able to raise a child, he knew that he didn't want to put the stress on Bucky. He hadn't liked Tony pointing out that he was trying to take Bucky's own choices away from him, something that Tony had to remind him a lot, something that was putting a strain on their already strained relationship after Ultron.

Bruce had looked him over here in the Tower and determined that the little boy was ok, a little malnourished, but no damage from the injection they had given him. He just needed time for his system to heal itself, which it was already doing.

Tony sucked in a deep breath and nodded to himself before reaching out and dipping the cloth in his hands into the bowl of warm water and wrung it out, before stepping forward and started gently cleaning the grime of the boy. His boy. His son.

He started with tiny hands, carefully cleaning each finger and then his palm, circling up his arm. He moved to wash his hair, rinsing the dirty curls till they were clean and then gently toweling them off. He swapped the already filthy water and moved to pick up a tiny foot.

Just as he started the doors whooshed open. Frowning he turned to tell Bruce he was shocked that he had finished so quickly, only to find Bucky standing there with Steve. Steve had his 'I don't approve' face on and Bucky a determined one. The Captain had gone straight up to inform Bucky about the little boy 'so he didn't hear anywhere else'.

"Is that…" Bucky motioned behind Tony, and he realised that the tiny little boy would be blocked behind Tony's body where he had automatically moved to shield him.

"Yeah, yes he's, here," Tony stepped slightly to the side and Bucky's eyes widened. He was wringing his hands and tugging at his sleeves in a nervous gesture, but he took a cautious step forward.

"Is he ok?" Bucky frowned. "He's so still,"

"He's healing. The injection has left no damage, but he needs time to heal. He is ok though, Bruce said he is a little malnourished, but nothing a few good meals can't take care of and a lot of care. No lasting damage physically, but mentally…." Tony drew off with a sigh and looked at the little boy.

"Can...can I help?" Bucky motioned to the bowl of water.

"Oh, sure!" Tony nodded, quickly grabbing another cloth.

"I don't think that is a good idea," Steve frowned.

"Why not?" Tony frowned back, dipping his own cloth back into the water and started washing the little boy's leg as Bucky washed his feet, his giant hands so careful. Once the foot was clean he carefully brushed to fingers of his flesh hand over the tiny toes and arch of the foot. There was a small movement, the little leg tucked in slightly as though ticklish, and it made both Bucky and Tony smile involuntary, an action that was not familiar on Bucky's face.

"You shouldn't get attached," Steve said breaking the moment.

"And why not?" Tony narrowed his eyes.

"He's not your child, only biologically, he should go to the compound, or Shield and…"

"And he can be prised from my cold dead fingers before I allow him to be brought up as a weapon, or raised to be a laboratory experiment in the same way that Hydra intended him to be!" Tony growled.

"You want to keep him?" Bucky said quickly, his eyes flicking to Steve in a way that told Tony that Steve had broached this subject already. Tony ignored the door opening to allow Natasha, Bruce, Rhodey, Sam and Clint entry, instead he focussed on unreadable blue-grey eyes.

"Yes, he is staying here, he will be raised here as a little boy, a child, with family and love and….he will want for nothing, I will...I want to make it better," Tony's voice cracked at the end unable to look at the innocent little boy lying on the bed as he voiced everything that had been going through his head.

"He's not a normal child Tony he should be…"

"What tested? Poked? Prodded? Become a weapon!" Tony bristled.

"He's enhanced, like us!" Steve snapped.

"He's a child! We chose to be Avengers, he deserves the same chance! He deserves to grow up like a normal child! Surrounded by people who love him! And people who accept him as he is! He deserves to go to school, and fall in love and go to college! And then, and only then, if he decides to join the Avengers to be a hero, then it will be his choice!" Tony shouted, unconsciously setting his arm over the child protecting him.

"You don't get to make that choice!" Steve snapped.

"We do, we're his parents," Bucky said quietly, so quietly he could barely be heard. He wasn't even looking at Steve, he was still gently brushing the little boy's tiny feet. But Steve jerked back like he had been slapped.

"Bucky! We talked about this!" Steve hissed.

"He's our son, doesn't matter how he was created, doesn't matter we didn't know about him till today, he's our son, our responsibility, our charge. We decide not you. This isn't Avengers, or Shield, this isn't Superheroes and Villains. This is family. And if you can't stop being Captain America for five seconds and be Uncle Steve then your opinion is not wanted, Steve. He's our son," Bucky looked up and met Tony's eyes, and for the first time, Tony didn't see a broken man. Tony nodded sharply realising Bucky felt it as well.

This was their child, their son. He felt it.

"He's going nowhere," Tony said firmly.

"Over our dead bodies," Bucky nodded turning to look at Steve. The Captain opened and closed his mouth before slipping and storming out.

"I will speak to him," Natasha said softly. She walked over and looked at the babe. "You guys make a good looking kid. If he has both your charm god help you both when he is a teenager. I won't let him go anywhere either," She nodded shakily, and they could both see the ghosts in her eyes, miles away in thoughts of her own childhood. But then she turned quickly and followed Steve with Sam.

"When he's adjusted and feeling better we can start arranging play dates with my kids," Clint grinned. "I will not allow anyone to take him,"

"You're not going to say 'you have my bow?'" Tony managed to grin weekly.

"And my axe," Bruce muttered making Tony and Clint snort. Tony met Bucky's eyes and could see the same confusion on his face as they used to see all the time on Steve's face, his 'I don't understand that reference' face.

"Snowflake, no! This is not acceptable. Before the kid is old enough to watch them we need to have you all caught up on films and pop culture," Tony sighed shaking his head as he dipped the cloth into the water again and gently started cleaning him off.

"Snowflake?" Bucky asked confusedly, seemingly more content gently brushing the soft skin of his feet as he was with cleaning his legs.

"Winter, snow, snowflake," Tony shrugged.

"He likes giving people nicknames don't worry," Bruce smiled as he came over and checked over the monitors. "He calls me his jolly green jelly bean,"

Bucky snorted before he could help himself looking at Tony. "He calls me Robin Hood," Clint muttered.

"I understood that reference," Bucky said dryly. All three of them snapped their heads up to look at him.

"Did, did you just make a joke Snowflake?" Tony gasped.

"I do have a sense of humour, somewhere in all the brainwashing, and it is still better than Stevie's," Bucky grunted.

Tony couldn't help it. He started laughing and couldn't bring himself to stop, everything that had happened that day catching up on him, the reality of the situation they were now in, and everything that was going to come for them all with this little one in their lives, how everything was going to change, everything caught up with him and he couldn't stop his chuckles.

He missed Bruce and Clint slipping out, leaving the three of them alone. Bucky took the bowl and emptied it, refilling it and bringing it back by the time Tony calmed down, brushing tears from his eyes.

"Better?" Bucky raised an eyebrow.

"We have a kid, a kid that is completely 50/50 us!" Tony blinked down at the little boy.

"I...yeah we do. Didn't think…."

"I never thought I would have kids," Tony said softly, dipping the cloth and starting to clean the little boy's belly. "I was pretty determined not to actually,"

"Why?" Bucky asked quietly cleaning the little boy's chest.

"I was...am terrified that I would be like Howard, that I would be the same type of dad Howard was to me. I don't exactly have a great example of how to be a parent from either Howard or Maria,"

"They...they were…."

"Pretty awful, putting it very mildly," Tony grimaced.

"What…" Bucky scowled to himself, drawing off.

"Maria was cold at best, she had very little time for me, by the time I was six she was more interested in spending time with her bottles and her pills, with parties and shopping than spending time with me, and she didn't know how to cope with having a genius for a son, so she just….didn't bother with me. Howard...I was never good enough for him, I could never be smart enough, I could never be quick enough, never brave enough, never...enough. I also learned to duck pretty quickly when he hit me when I was 3 for crying. If I was lucky when he drank he knocked himself out, if I wasn't I prayed the hiding place I had chosen wouldn't be found," Tony answered the unspoken question robotically.

"I…" Bucky licked his lips, dipping his cloth again and gently tilted their little boy to help Tony wash his back as they stood side by side. "I hid at Steve's house from my dad. My mom died when I was seven in childbirth, we lost her and my sister and...my dad never recovered. He fell into the bottle and...it was never pretty, he was drunk pretty much 5 or 6 days a week. He would hit me, shout at me, throw bottles at me. Everyone knew, but it was different in those days. Some of the neighbours tried to help, but there wasn't much that they could do. Mrs. Rogers knew. She would let me stay over and would look after me when he hurt me bad. Seve wanted to go around there and kick his ass," Bucky snorted.

"Steve?" Tony smiled a little.

"Yeah, he was like 3 foot of nothing and skinnier than an actual rake," Bucky shook his head. "Anyway, even before….all this, I wasn't sure that I wanted to risk...doing it wrong...but I remembered my mom and how she used to be, her hugs and kisses, the way she would make my favourite soup when I was ill despite money being really tight,"

"I had...Jarvis and Anna, Howard's butler,"

"Howard got a butler?" Bucky interrupted. "Never mind, of course, he did," Bucky rolled his eyes, carefully cleaning off the little boy's back.

"They looked after me. For every slap Howard gave me, Anna would hug me, every time Howard said I had to go without a meal, Jarvis would sneak me food. They made birthdays Howard and Maria forgot special. I guess...being like them, that would be ok," Tony sighed as they lowered the little boy to lie on his back again, and both moved to gently clean his face.

They worked together silently, each of them carefully cleaning his features, before brushing their fingers over the tiny delicate features of the still sleeping babe.

Tony reached out for the clothes Bruce had left for them, simple pajamas, and a little awkwardly the two of them managed to get him into the pajamas before stepping back once they had tucked him back in, and they stared in awe at the little boy.

"Did they give him a name?" Bucky asked.

"Subject 56," Tony said through a thick throat.

"We should give him a name," Bucky frowned.

"I….I guess considering kids weren't part of your consideration your in the same boat as I am and don't have a list of possible baby names?" Tony sighed.

"Nope, and I am a little worried that you may have a short list considering I have met U, Butterfingers and Dumm-E," Bucky snorted.

"Hey! Yeah, they're pretty not suitable for a kid," Tony snickered.

The two of them stood there staring at the little boy, praying that inspiration would hit. But….nothing.

"Bucky?" Tony asked softly, nervously. "Your mom's name was Edith right?"

"Yeah it was….we can't call him Edith," Bucky scowled.

"I wasn't suggesting that we do," Tony laughed. "Jarvis' name was Edwin. Edwin Jarvis. How about as a reminder to the two of us of the parents were going to be to him, we call him Edwin, Eddy for short, for both of them? Would that be ok?" He asked.

"I really like that," Bucky smiled brightly, far more than Tony had seen.

"Ok….Edwin James?" Tony offered nervously.

"Edwin James Stark," Bucky muttered before nodding. "I like it,"

"Edwin James Stark-Barnes," Tony corrected.

"Your name will give him more in life," Bucky shook his head.

"He's both ours, both our names," Tony shook his head. "Edwin James Stark-Barnes,"

"I...yeah….yeah…." Bucky nodded.

"FRIDAY, can you please speak to Pepper and ask her to get the lawyers onto it and get Eddy officially ours please," Tony requested.

"Straight away Boss, and can I say that is a very fitting name, congratulations Boss," FRIDAY answered.

"Thank you FRIDAY," Tony felt shaky and exhilarated and in shock all in one go. "Pepper will make sure that by the end of today he's ours in every single legal way that is ironclad and sealed in vibranium, no one will take him from us,"

"The end of the day is technically 4 and a half hours away," Bucky blinked.

"She is very good," Tony shrugged.

"What do we do now?" Bucky asked.

"Well FRIDAY is buying the basics that we will need for him, we can choose what we want exactly when he is awake and well enough. So I guess...for now we wait?"

"Let's get comfy," Bucky picked up and chair and placed it by the bed, getting a second one and placing it on the other side of the bed. He hesitated for a second before reaching out and taking the lit….Eddy's hand, his tiny hand in his flesh one, gently running his thumb over his knuckles.

Tony sat down and reached out to take Eddy's other hand, pressing a gentle kiss to it before settling down to wait for him to wake up.

"How about I get FRIDAY to go over parenting books and tips, and we decide on a basic parenting plan. I do know that being a united front will be important, and we're going to have to be pretty steady for this little guy...he's been through a lot already,"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Tony? Tony?" The genius jerked awake at the feeling of fingers combing through his hair, blinking rapidly and reaching out for the babe lying on the bed before he registered that it was Pepper standing there.

"Pep?" He muttered looking across the bed to see Bucky awake and watching them, his body language tense as he shifted forward towards Eddy.

"Hey, I'm sorry to wake you up, but I need you guys to sign this paperwork for me," Pepper held up a sheaf of paperwork, a mountain of it.

"For Eddy?" Tony asked.

"For Eddy. God Tony, he's gorgeous," Pepper smiled down at the little boy on the bed.

"Aunty Pepper, meet Edwin James Stark-Barnes," Tony wasn't sure when he would ever stop getting a buzz from saying that, his heart skipping a beat.

"Edwin for…."

"Edwin for Jarvis and for Edith, Bucky's mum," Tony smiled at the supersoldier who smiled softly back.

"Congratulations guys, he's lovely," She reached out and carefully brushed her fingers over his tiny feet. "Anything at all that you need from me, I am here, for all three of you," She said pointedly to Bucky.

"These papers, are they solid? No loopholes?" Tony asked reached for the papers.

"Do you even need to ask? My nephew is going nowhere. And anyone who tries will have the entire force of SI being thrown at them harder than Hulk can throw a tank at someone," Pepper growled.

"FRIDAY?" Tony called.

"Yes, Boss?"

"Please send Pepper a whole basket of very expensive, very designer shoes," Tony instructed.

"Right away,"

"You know the way into a girl's heart," Pepper laughed. "Now, I am going to leave these with you, both sign them, and while you are doing that I am going to go upstairs and start setting up a room for this little one, just the basics, the three of you should do the big stuff together. I am going to set up a room for the three of you, a bed for each of you and the essentials in there, Bruce filled me in on some of what this little one has been through, this is going to be a massive change for him, and it will help him to have you close, and help your relationship. Also, Winter Clause is in there,"

"You're amazing, thank you," Tony sighed.

"I will be back down when we're done, I will bring him some clothes," Pepper touched his shoulder gently before leaving them to it.

"She is quite the force to be reckoned with," Bucky blinked after her.

"I would like to see someone try and take her on," Tony snorted.

"How come you two...I mean you both care about each other still, that is obvious but…" Bucky asked awkwardly.

"We love each other, we always will. But being together was ruining the amazing friendship that we had. She couldn't cope with me putting my life in danger, having to run out and go fight baddies, and aliens, having nightmares bad enough that I couldn't sleep in the same room as her because I was scared that I would hurt her, and I hated that I couldn't make it better because the only thing that would, was for me to stop being Iron Man," Tony sighed.

"I'm sorry," Bucky said softly.

"It's ok, it was weird at first, but we have managed to get back to a good relationship," Tony smiled.

"So, what is the Winter Clause?" Bucky raised his eyebrow at Tony when he turned sheepish.

"It is something that I had Peper write up a little while ago, I was waiting for a chance to put it to you. You have been pardoned for what happened but this paperwork that gets you recognised as a prisoner of war and a veteran. All this happened to you while you were part of the army, you should be recognised for your service," Tony took the pile of paperwork and placed it in front of Bucky by Eddy's leg.

"I don't deserve…." Tony reached out and covered Bucky's hand gently stopping him.

"Bucky, you deserve recognition for everything that you have been through. You were a prisoner of war, what you went through, you deserve recognition for what happened to you," Tony said softly. "Just think about it, and not just for yourself but for this little guy as well. Pardoned Bucky Barnes won't be able to wield as much power against people as War veteran and hero Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes,"

"You fight dirty," Bucky huffed.

"You will think about it?"

"Yes, I will think about it," Bucky placed the papers carefully to the side. "Now, let's get these papers signed,"

The two of them poured over the many many papers that something like this required, signing away and passing the papers back and forth until they were all signed up. Tony gathered them all together and then went through to make sure that they had signed everything that they needed to.

"That's it. He's officially ours," Tony nodded setting the papers to the side and turning to look at where Eddy was still sleeping.

"Are you guys all signed up?" Pepper asked walking in.

"Yup, could you double triple check for me though please?" Tony held out the paperwork.

"Of course. I brought you down some clothes for Eddy, some nightclothes and some clothes for when he wakes up. I will go over these and get them filed yesterday," Pepper leant down and pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead.

"Thank you, Miss Potts," Bucky nodded.

"Thank you Pep," Tony squeezed her hand.

"Hey, guys? Bad time?" Bruce asked walking into the room.

"I'm just leaving Bruce, I will see you all when Eddy is awake," Pepper gathered the paperwork together before leaving them to it.

"Eddy?" Bruce asked as he walked into the room and checked over Eddy's paperwork.

"Edwin James Stark-Barnes," Bucky said quietly, the happiness clear in his voice.

"Very nice, very suitable," Bruce smiled. "I have some news about him,"

"That was quick," Bucky frowned.

"Wanda and Vision are still pouring through the main bulk of the information but we have basic information, things we need to know now," Bruce explained.

"Ok," Tony reached for Eddy's hand again, and noticed Bucky was already rubbing his thumb over Eddy's small knuckles.

"Go on," Bucky nodded.

"Ok. Edwin is 3 years old, he has the exact joint DNA of the two of you as if he were a biological child, they have managed to replicate natural creation perfectly, the traces of DNA of the Hydra agent who donated the egg needed to create the baby has been completely erased. He was completely grown in a test tube, outside of a womb, he wasn't traditionally born. He has shown evidence of super strength, hearing, better eyesight than the normal human being, the he has clearly shown that he had Super Soldier DNA in his body, it is completely under control and steady, he is in no danger from it, and there seem to be differences with him having been born with it rather than it being added to his body at a later time. He is also showing strong evidence of high intelligence that, no offence James, but would also appear to come from his Stark DNA," Bruce smiled as Bucky actually smiled a little.

"He's clever?" Tony brightened.

"Very. He's displaying advanced IQ and a speech and understanding skill set beyond his age. He has an interest in languages and they were giving him puzzles which he was flying through," Bruce smiled.

"What…what was done to him?" Bucky asked, his head dropped down and tenseness visible in his shoulders.

"Right," Bruce sighed and placed the paperwork down. He took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes tiredly before looking up at them. "He has had extensive tests performed on him to test the limits of the Super Soldier serum. They...they broke bones, wounded him, they tested him in extreme weather conditions, they starved him of water and food for extended periods of time. He was forced to lift heavy objects till he passed out from exhaustion and then was made to carry on. His intelligence was also tested and encouraged it, teaching him things and expanding his understanding in a way that would not threaten them, they were very interested in having a highly intelligent super-soldier. He...he was looked after to a point, to make sure that he was kept alive. Some of the scientists seem to have been kinder. But...psychologically...you...I...we have no way to predict what mental state he is going to be in," Bruce sighed.

Tony and Bucky just nodded, both of them unable to find the words to speak as they looked down at the small boy on the bed. So small and young, and had already been through so much. And was now their responsibility.

They shared a look over the bed and both of them wore a set look of determination. No matter what, you both agreed that they would do everything that they could not to fail Edwin.

* * *

"This says here about the best types of food for him to be eating at his age, but I should probably run it by Bruce to make sure that it is ok with everything that has happened to him," Tony hummed as he flicked through the book on his Starkpad.

"We need to figure out if he has a super-soldier appetite as well," Bucky mused also flicking through a parenting book himself, though he did pause to lean over and scribble the question down onto the Starkpad resting on the table that they were using to jot down thoughts, questions and queries that they needed to know.

"Oh right!" Tony nodded. "I wonder, there should be something in his notes about that right?" He frowned and shot a quick email off to Bruce to check for that. Bucky and Steve could demolish up to three times what a normal person their height and size could eat on a good day.

"We need to…" Bucky's words were cut off as Eddy moved on the bed between them. Both of them froze before shooting each other a panicked look. They moved a little closer to the bed but did not remove their holds on his hands. They had agreed that the best way to do this would be to stay sitting down, they didn't want to loom over him.

It took about 5 minutes for him to open his eyes, he moved around on the bed more and more before he sat up with a gasp and looked around with wide chocolate brown eyes that were achingly familiar to Tony. They were his eyes.

His eyes flashed around the room taking everything in before flicking between Tony and Bucky and their hands holding his.

"Hey there, you're safe, you're safe. We rescued you from the Hydra base, you're safe here. This is our home, you're in the medical area, but once you're feeling better we're going to get out of here and we have your very own room here that we want to show you, and then the rest of the tower," Tony said gently.

"I...can...I'm allowed…" Eddy hunched in on himself stopping himself from carrying on as he looked between the two of them scared.

"You're allowed anywhere at all you want to go," Bucky assured him gently.

"Do you know who we are?" Tony asked.

"The Doctors made me from you," Eddy looked at them unsurely, still a little hunched, but his brown eyes kept going back to the hands gently holding his with a small sense of wonder in them.

"Yes they did, that makes us your dads, do you know what that is?" Bucky asked.

"One of the nice doctors let me read books about it. Daddies and mummies love and look after children," Eddy answered hesitantly.

"That's right. Sweetheart, we didn't know that you existed before today, Hydra kept you completely secret, and we couldn't be there for you for your first years. But we know about you now, and we want to be your daddies, we want to love you, and care for you, and protect you, and we want to look after you," Tony smiled hesitantly.

"What do you want me to do in return?" Eddy asked with narrowed eyes looking between the two of them sharply, his brown eyes bright and intelligent. As he cautiously withdrew his hands from theirs, more to test if they would allow it, it seemed, looking between them for their reaction to his withdrawal.

"We want you to do 2 things for us," Bucky said leaning forward. He shot Tony a 'trust me' look when the genius opened his mouth to protest, Tony nodded slightly more than happy to hand this over into hands that got it.

"What?" Eddy frowned suspiciously.

"One, we want you to give us a chance to be your daddies and let us look after you. And two, whatever you want to do," Bucky smiled. The little boy looked heartbreakingly young as he looked rapidly between the two of them, especially when Tony smiled and nodded.

"Why?" He asked sounding so confused and suspicious that it broke both Tony and Bucky's hearts.

"Because you're our son," Tony said firmly.

"Because we want to love you and look after you. We only just found out you exist, but we care for you already and love you," Bucky added.

"I don't under...stand. I am an...experi...ment, I don't exist to have a life," Eddy frowned.

"You are so so so much more than an experiment Eddy!" Tony said quickly.

"Eddy?" The little boy was looking so confused and overwhelmed, and Tony looked to Bucky who out of the two of them could understand the most how the little boy was feeling right now.

"When we looked through the information we got about you, you didn't have a name sweetheart, so if you like it, we thought we could call you Edwin James Stark-Barnes. Edwin for the man who loved Tony very much and my mum's name was Edith, and James because my name is James Buchanan Barnes and Tony's best friend is called James. Eddy for short," Bucky explained softly. "You're not an experiment or a thing, you're not a weapon or a test, you're a person, you're a human being with a life,"

Tony and Bucky both flustered a little when Eddy's bottom lip trembled dangerously and tears filled his eyes, though he was clearly fighting them back.

"I can...have a name?" Eddy sniffed, his little hands clutching onto the sheets. That was it for Tony, and slowly so Eddy could see what he was doing the genius perched on the edge of the bed and wrapped his arm around Eddy's little, trembling shoulders.

"You can have whatever you want. You have a name, you have family now, you have your own clothes, and some toys being brought here for you, and when you feel up to it we will go shopping and you can pick things that you want," Tony assured him.

"I'm...I'm a freak though," Eddy sniffed looking between them like it would put them off and make them change their minds.

Bucky stood and stripped off his hoody, holding out his metal arm so Eddy could see it before he reached out for the handrail with his flesh hand and easily crushed a mangled handprint into the metal. Eddy watched with wide eyes, tears forgotten in his shock, before turning to Tony.

Tony smiled and reached down with the hand not holding Eddy to lift his shirt and show the little boy his arc reactor glowing and humming in his chest. Eddy reached out his hand as though to touch it, before suddenly snatching it back and looking at Tony fearfully.

"It's ok sweetheart, you can touch it," Tony held his hand out to Eddy and waited patiently as Eddy eyed it and him hesitantly for a couple of minutes, before to Tony and Bucky's relief he reached out and tentatively placed his hand in Tony's.

The genius swallowed the emotion that welled up at the action and instead concentrated on smiling warmly at Eddy who was looking at him with slightly narrowed eyes as though worried Tony would trick him. Instead, he gently ran his thumb over Eddy's knuckles, smiling when Eddy let out an involuntary giggle, and then slowly led his hand to his chest, placing it over the arc reactor. He pressed his own hand over the top for a moment and then dropped his, watching as their son explored the arc reactor with curious fingers.

"What is it?" Eddy asked curiously.

"It is an Arc Reactor, it keeps metal from going into my heart," Tony explained.

"Arc Reactor?" big brown eyes looked at him with all the curiosity that Tony recognised in his eyes.

"It is an energy source…" Tony rambled out the explanation as to the Arc Reactor, and what could be done with it, delighted as he could see that Eddy was eagerly listening.

"Here we go," Bucky had snuck to the door to retrieve the tray Bruce snuck to them while Tony distracted Eddy, placing it down on the table and pulled it closer to the three of them.

"What's that?" Eddy frowned at the cup.

"That is your Uncle Bruce's idea of a joke," Tony snorted picking up the Iron Man children's cup that was clearly meant for Eddy.

"Uncle...Bruce, Bruce Banner?" Eddy asked with a tiny frown on his delicate little face.

"That's him," Bucky nodded.

"Uncle?"

"Bruce is family, we're you're daddies and he is your uncle, he is working really really hard right now to help us know how best to look after you and make sure that you're ok," Bucky explained.

"Do you know all about the Avengers?" Tony asked as he pulled the tray forward and rolled his eyes at the Hulk bowl and plate.

"They told me...they told me who you all were," Eddy nodded, his eyes though were locked on the food with clear hunger.

"This is yours to eat Sweetheart," Tony explained.

"Mine?" Eddy looked between them, suspicion clear on his face again.

"Yes all yours, though eat it slowly, otherwise you will make yourself ill," Bucky lowered the table so that it was resting above Eddy's knees.

"What are they?" Eddy pointed to the two bowls either side of his, also Avengers themed.

"They are ours, we're a little hungry,"

"Why?" Eddy asked Tony, though his fingers were twitching to reach for the food.

"I will tell you…after you have two spoons of soup," Tony gently tapped his little nose twice, chuckling delightedly when he went cross-eyed to look.

"You...want me to eat?" Eddy frowned.

"Yup, otherwise you won't grow up to be big and strong," Bucky flexed his muscles making Eddy giggle. The surprise on his face at his laugh was heartbreaking, but Tony reached out and pressed the spoon into his hand, nodding encouragingly when he got a wide-eyed look.

After four spoonfuls Eddy looked up at him remembering his question.

"We are a little hungry because we have been in here with you, trying to learn how to best look after you and make sure you are looked after properly, we're not really sure how to look after children, so you're going to need you to help us out and tell us what you need," Tony explained.

"Tell...what I need...I…" Eddy started shaking his head, looking overwhelmed, at least until Tony carefully wrapped his arm around him, and Bucky rested his hand on his leg.

"Hey, hey it's ok, it's ok Eddy, remember you're allowed to be a person," Bucky assured him. "It will take time to get used to, but you're allowed to be a person and have wants and needs, you just need to tell us,"

"Will you try that for us please?"

"You...you...you want me to want things?" Eddy sounded so confused.

"Yes we do," Both men nodded.

"I do...don't understand why," Eddy's bottom lip wobbled again.

"It's ok not to understand why Sweetheart, we just want you to try," Tony assured him.

"And we're going to try very hard as well to be parents for you," Bucky smiled at their son, and Tony couldn't help but stare. "We're all going to make mistakes with that, but that is ok as well, that is being human,"

"Making mistakes...is human?" Eddy frowned.

"Yup, like when I was fixing your Pop's arm and accidentally hit the wrong wire and his arm was stuck up in the air for 4 hours till I could fix it," Tony grinned.

"You weren't angry?" Eddy looked at Bucky.

"No, it was pretty funny," Bucky smiled a little. "Your daddy had to stand on the table to be able to reach the part he needed to fix it because he is smaller than me,"

"At one point I had to sit on your Pop's shoulders to get the right angle,"

Eddy blinked before he let out a little giggle.

"So mistakes are fine, they happen, it is ok," Tony assured him. "Now, let's all finish our meal, yes?"

"I'm hungry!" Bucky nodded and picked up the massive bowl of soup to start eating.

* * *

"Now, how about we go to our room?" Bucky asked once they were all finished and Eddy was blinking sleepily.

"Our room?" Eddy blinked.

"Yup our room. We are going to be making some changes because we get to have you in our lives. Until we are all settled though we are going to share a room if that is ok with you?" Bucky explained.

"Can….can I ask why?" Eddy tilted his chin back as he looked at them, and it struck Bucky that it was such a Tony thing to do. When he was shoving at a boundary he thought he wasn't allowed to push at, but only when it was something personal and he was expecting to be slapped in the face for it.

"Of course you can," Tony nodded and took the little boy's hand. "It is because we need to make sure that you are safe, because we love you, and we want you close to us. We also want to be there in case you need us while you are getting used to all these big changes, and we need you to be there for us while we are getting used to all these big changes,"

"Ok," Eddy nodded, looking more like he was agreeing because of how tired he was. If the large, cute, jaw cracking yawn that he let out was anything to go by.

"Can I carry you, Eddy? You have been through a lot today," Bucky asked softly.

Eddy narrowed his eyes at Bucky but nodded, and the expression on his face it was clear that this was some sort of test, though with a quick glance at each other it was clear neither could work out what that test was.

Bucky reached out and carefully wrapped the blanket around Eddy before scooping him up, oh so carefully holding Eddy against his chest. And then looked at Tony panicked when Eddy burst into tears.

"Are you sore Eddy? Is somewhere hurt?" Tony hurried around the bed and hovered his hand near Eddy while Bucky held himself stock still clearly trying not to hurt the little boy further.

"No...no...I haven't...it doesn't hurt when you pick me up, and you don't grab me. You were gentle," Eddy sniffed.

"Oh sweetheart," Tony rested his hand on Eddy's small back as Bucky held him closer to his chest.

"We will prove to you that we are never going to hurt you," Bucky said firmly.

"I'm really tired," Eddy sniffed.

"Ok duckling, come on," Tony stepped forward and led the way out the room, quickly leading Bucky to the elevator and then they were on their way to Tony's floor. FRIDAY making sure that the lift took them straight there with no stops.

The lift opened directly into Tony's bedroom, which in the time they had been downstairs, had been transformed. There were two comfy double beds, with a comfy child-sized bed between them, the bed looking secure and comfy, and with simple blue sheets and a duvet with clouds on it that matched the bed linen on the adult beds. There were several new pieces of furniture, wardrobes and chest of draws that they had no doubt was full of their clothes and Eddy's.

A bookshelf already had a collection of kids books on them, there was a small collection of toys in the corner. Two nightlights had been set up and were already going, and the bathroom light was on with the door cracked open. It looked comfortable and safe.

"How about we pick a teddy while your Pops puts his pyjamas on?" Tony suggested. "Would that be ok?"

"A teddy?" Eddy asked confused.

"Here," Tony held his arms out and Bucky carefully transferred their most precious load into them, quickly rifling through different draws until he found a chest of draws that held his clothes, and found his pyjamas.

"These are teddys?" Eddy asked as Tony sat in front of the toys, perching Eddy in his lap and pulled forward a handful of teddys.

"Yes they are," Tony nodded, grinned when Bucky stumbled out the bathroom, still yanking his shirt down. He was clearly feeling exactly the same as Tony in that he did not want Eddy out his sight.

"They're so soft," Eddy breathed, running his little fingers over them.

"I really like soft things," Bucky said, sitting down next to them. "I was with them as well, for a long time. I didn't have nice things. When I came here, your daddy realised that I liked soft things, and he got me lots of super-soft clothes and blankets. I really like feeling them against my skin,"

Tony flushed darkly, he hadn't realised that Bucky had been aware that he had clicked onto Bucky's liking of soft things, or clicked onto the fact that it was Tony that had provided the clothes and blankets for him. He reckoned Bucky would think it would be Steve.

"What do I do with it?" Eddy frowned, his brown eyes looking at them confused.

"You cuddle it, like this," Bucky picked up one of them and wrapped his arms around it.

"Why?" Eddy tilted his head, clearly watching carefully and cataloguing what Bucky was doing.

"It gives you comfort, if you are feeling scared, or sad, or just feel like you want something to cuddle if you don't want to cuddle me or pops or any of your aunties and uncles, you can hug this. And it would be yours," Tony explained.

"Mine?" Eddy blinked between them.

"Yup, all of them are yours, though I think Pops might like that one," Tony teased.

"I…" Eddy blinked rapidly, tears forming as he clearly got overwhelmed.

"How about, for tonight I pick one for you to cuddle?" Tony offered gently.

"Ok," Eddy said quietly, pressing back into Tony's chest, rubbing tiredly at his eyes in a way that made the two of them just want to hug him again.

Tony reached out and carefully plucked a little dog cuddly toy from the small pile, you couldn't go wrong with dogs right, and pressed it into Eddy's little arms.

Eddy looked so lost and confused but he hugged the toy to his body, pressing his face into the soft fluff of the toy.

"Come on, bed I think," Bucky said softly reaching out.

"I will go and put my pyjamas on and I will be right back ok?" Tony said. When Eddy nodded as he was carefully lifted into Bucky's arms, Tony hurried himself to grab his pyjamas and to the bathroom.

His head was spinning and it felt as though his heart was thundering in his chest, everything was going so quickly now that Eddy was awake. But it wasn't as bad as Tony had feared, Eddy had fight in him, and though he was overwhelmed, he was interacting and responding to them, he clearly felt at least slightly safe with them.

He made sure to leave the door cracked open and the light on when he stepped out the bathroom, and he walked over in time to see Bucky lifting the covers around Eddy and carefully tucking him in.

Eddy looked awed at the bed, and was stroking his hand over the covers, his other hand was holding so tightly onto the dog cuddly toy his little knuckles were white. Bucky had clearly told him that this bed was his.

"There we are," Tony smiled bending and slowly, carefully kissing Eddy's forehead. "Would you like a story?"

"Really?" Eddy was blinking so slowly Tony didn't doubt that he would be asleep soon anyway.

"Of course. Before we start though if you wake in the night and need anything in the night, anything at all, even if you're scared, you wake me or your pops up, or both of us, ok?" Tony said with as much firmness as he dared.

"But...I need to not be a bother," Eddy shrank back into his pillows.

"Not in this house and not ever ever again. Me and your daddy, we will be really upset if you don't tell us if you need anything," Bucky said.

"And what happens if you're upset?" Eddy narrowed his eyes.

"Your daddy makes really sad faces, and it makes you feel really really bad," Bucky said promptly. Taking his cue Tony pulled the most ridiculous pouty/sad face that he could and Bucky pointed at him.

Eddy giggled for a second looking between them to see if they were serious.

"Anything at all," Bucky said leaning forward to kiss Eddy's forehead as well.

"Now, there was once a very happy robot…" Tony started the story.

He and Bucky sighed as Eddy fell into a deep sleep, Bucky leaning forward to gently and carefully make sure he was tucked in before they looked at each other.

"He's so perfect," Tony sighed.

"Perfect," Bucky managed a shaky smile. "He is so clever,"

"And sweet," Tony nodded.

"We had better get some sleep ourselves, I think we are going to need it," Bucky yawned a little.

"Right you are pops," Tony grinned.

"Goodnight dad!" Bucky chuckled.

* * *

"Da'...pop…" The sofa cry had them both sitting up straight away, the lights already raised enough that they could see Eddy trying to push himself into the bed, tears covering what they could see of his face, his teddy pressed into most of it.

"Hey kiddo, what happened?" Tony yawned climbing out of bed on one side as Bucky did the same on the other.

"Bad dreams?" Bucky asked when Eddy didn't say anything.

The little boy nodded shakily before he started sobbing even more. Tony and Bucky gave each other a torn look.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Eddy sobbed even louder when Tony rested his hand on his bed and made a startled noise when he touched damp sheets.

"Oh sweetheart, are you upset because you had an accident? No, it's ok," Tony assured him quickly.

"I made a mess," Eddy sobbed.

"You did, and that is fine," Bucky shook his head. "It is an accident that is all," He gently pulled back the covers and picked Eddy up against him, hugging him.

"No, no, no I made a mess, I'm wet," Eddy cried pressing his hand against Bucky's chest.

"You're sad and upset, I don't care, I just want you to feel better, and hugs make things better," Bucky assured him, hugging him close.

"You're really not mad," Eddy sniffed, still trembling and sobbing.

"Never, never for an accident like this! You never, ever need to worry about that," Tony promised.

"Why don't we go and get freshened up, and daddy will strip your bed?" Bucky suggested.

"Do I sleep on the floor now?" Eddy sniffed.

"No!" Tony and Bucky said loudly together. "No, baby, you will sleep with one of us, or how about we all share?" Tony looked to Bucky who nodded quickly.

"I can…" Eddy looked between them.

"Of course, now, shoo both of you," Tony said playfully.

Bucky carefully carried Eddy into the bathroom and stripped him out his wet pyjamas, he carefully chucked Eddy under the chin and smiled when startled brown eyes looked at him before kissing his forehead, managing to chase away some of the fear. He made sure the cloth he used was warm before quickly and efficiently cleaning Eddy up, intersecting it with gentle touches and kisses to the forehead.

He was also very very careful not to get the cuddly dog wet where Eddy was still clutching it tightly in his hand.

"Here we go boys," Tony ducked his head in and placed fresh pyjamas on the counter for them.

"Thank you," Bucky nodded, taking the Iron Man pyjamas and helping Eddy into them.

"Daddy?" Eddy frowned touching the Iron Man on his pyjamas.

"Yes, that's your daddy," Bucky nodded, his heart thumping at the expression on Tony's face.

"I'm sorry," Eddy frowned at the damp pyjamas Bucky had thrown into the clothes hamper.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you want to tell me what your bad dream was?" Bucky asked brushing Eddy's hair from his eyes.

"I…"

"I dream that I am back, with the bad man, and that they hurt me. I feel very very scared when I wake up," Bucky offered as Tony carefully picked Eddy up. He started changing his own damp pyjamas quickly, modesty had been something that he had lost back when he had joined the war, never mind 70 years being soon as below human.

"I dream I am back with the man that hurt me too, I get scared that I didn't ever leave," Tony added, his voice a little shaky as Bucky looked at him with wide-eyed. Tony was such a big character, he forgot he was human sometimes, or that things could touch him considering the genius built a persona around himself that screamed untouchable.

More pieces of Tony Stark slotted into lace in Bucky's head as he realised that it was a protection for the other man.

"I dreamted that this was a lie, and I was still there...I got scared and sad...I don't want to go back," Eddy's bottom lip wobbled. Bucky rested his hand on that tiny back as Tony hugged him close.

"Never again baby, never again," Tony promised, and the look he and Bucky exchanged said everything. They would let Eddy go back to that only over their dead bodies.

"I'm not a baby," Eddy frowned.

"Sorry?" Tony blinked.

"You called me a baby but I am not a baby," Eddy said confused.

"No you're not, but calling your son a baby doesn't mean that you think that they are physically a baby, it means that you see them as your baby, your child. When you are forty years old, and even if you have children of your own, I will still see you as my baby and call you that," Tony said as he led the way back into the bedroom and to his bed, Bucky close behind.

"An..ed...inment?" Eddy asked.

"Endearment, yes Sweetling," Tony grinned, gently pressing his nose to Eddy's cheek.

"Your Daddy likes endearments, he calls your uncle James Honey Bear, Platypus, and when he is being all grumpy Sour Patch because he knows it always makes him smile,"

"What does daddy call you?" Eddy asked curiously, pressing his face into his dog's fluff tiredly.

"I….he calls me Snow Flake," Bucky blinked, he hadn't even realised that he had a pet name from Tony till now.

"Do you want to lie down now?" Tony asked Eddy gently.

"Can...can I lie in the middle?" Eddy asked and then scrunched himself in, scared for asking.

"I think we would both prefer that, that way we both get to cuddle you," Tony smiled, kissing his forehead in reward.

"Can I sleep nearest the edge?" Bucky asked Tony, it had been where Tony had been sleeping but, "I can better protect you both there,"

"Of course," Tony blinked but didn't say anything more. He crawled onto the bed, Eddy held carefully in his arms, moving to the centre of the bed and placed Eddy down tenderly, before lying next to him. He gave him his own space, but rested his hand over Eddy's chest.

Bucky slid in on his other side, carefully pulling the covers over the top of all three of them, reaching out to rest his own arm over Eddy.

"Is this ok sweetling?" Tony asked.

"Yes, I like this," Eddy snuggled deeper into the comfort of the bed, his dog held tightly to his chest.

"Me too," Tony smiled, his eyes adoringly on the little boy whose eyes were starting to get heavy.

"Me too," Bucky agreed, breathing in the scent of his little boy, feeling his breathing evening out under their hands.

Tony moved his hand slightly, just enough to link their little fingers together on top of Eddy. Meeting those brown eyes that Eddy had inherited almost identically, Bucky felt a sense of calm, and a sense of purpose for the first time since he had heard the name Bucky in 70 years and his world had spun on its axis.

Right here he was needed, right here he had not one but two people that needed him. He and Tony needed each other in this, in making sure that Eddy was safe and loved, making sure that he recovered from what he had suffered at the hands of Hydra, and bringing the little boy up.


End file.
